Ments



(No Model.)

G. MEAOOM.

BELTING. No. 372,632. Patented Nov. 1, 1887.

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GEORGE MEACOM, OF CHELSEA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE \VIRE FABRIC RUBBER COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSA- CHUSETTS.

BELTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,632, dated November 1, 1887.

Serial No. 224,328. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE MEAGOM, of Chelsea, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l\Iachine-Belting, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide improved means for protecting the edges of machine-belts, and especially those used to IO transmit power from a steam-engine to a thrashing (or other) machine in an open field, from being abraded and injured by contact with the guides used to keep the belt on the pulleys over which it runs, it being a common practice among those using thrashing-machines which are driven by portable engines to guide the power-communicating belt by stakes or other fixed guides, with which the edges of the belt are in rubbing contact, and

by which said edges are rapidly worn, so that in a short time the belt becomes useless.

In Letters Patent of the United States granted to me December 7, 1886, No. 353,873, I have shown,as a means for obviating this difficulty,closelygrouped longitudinal strands of wire woven in the body of the belt at or near its edges.

My present invention has for its object to provide means for accomplishing the same re- 0 sult without changing the structure of the fabric of which the belt is made, and by applying protecting plates or guards to said fabric. To this end the invention consists in a belt provided at its edges with a series of exposed and projecting metallic plates or guards adapted to receive the wear and friction due to the guides against which the edges of the belt run.

The invention also consists in a belt composed of a strip of fabric made in two or more thicknesses, which are united by a row or rows of rivets extending lengthwise of the belt, the latter being folded to present the rivet-heads in a projecting position at its side edges, all of 4 5 which Iwill now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forininga part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a view of a piece of belting before it is folded into belt form and having the protecting plates or guards applied to it along the lines on which it is to be folded. Fig. 1 represents a section on line z .2, Fig. 1. Fig. 2 represents a piece of the folded belthaving the edgeguards. I ig.3representsapiece of the folded belt having the longitudinal rows of rivets 5 uniting its folds or plies. Fig. 4 represents a. section on line a: m, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 represents a section On line y 3 Fig. 3. Fig. 6 represents a perspective view of the piece shown in Fig.

2. Fig. 7 represents a perspective view of the rivet which constitutes the protecting-plates and serves to unite the folds of the belt shown in the preceding figures. Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 represent modifications.

The same letters of reference indicate the 6 same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a, Fig. 1, represents a piece of duck or other suitable fabric, of suitable width to be folded along the dotted lines I) b and form a belt, 0, substantially such as is shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and (3.

In carrying out myinvention I apply to the edges of the belt a series of metal plates or guards, (1, arranged so close together that they effectually protect the fabric from rubbing 5 contact with the guides that may be used in connection with the belt withoutinterfering with the flexibility of the belt. The form and means of applying said guards may be variously modified. I prefer to. employ as said 83 guards a series of disk-headed rivets having prongs e c, Fig. 7, formed to pass through the fabric and be clinched at the inner side there of. In using such rivets I insert them in rows in the fabric along the lines I) b, on which it is 85 to be folded, preferably using strips or welts g g to re-enforee the fabric alongsaid lines, as shown in Fig. 1. The prongs, being inserted and clinched, hold the heads of the rivets against the outer side of the fabric along the c lines b b. The fabric is then folded on said lines, and the rivet-heads are thereby caused to extend across the folded edges, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4., 5, and 6, said heads being preferably of such size and construction that they 5 will be somewhat bent by the folding operation, and thus caused to project slightly over the sides of the belt along the edges, as shown in Fig. 4. The rivets may be attached very rapidly by machinery, and constitute a very IOO simple and efficient means of protecting the edges of the belt without interfering with its flexibility, as will be readily seen. I do not limit myself, however, to the rivets, but may employ any other suitable metallic guards adapted to be attached to the fabric without interfering with its flexibility, and at the same time leave an exposed projecting and practically continuous metallic portion at the edges.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown a malleable tack, the shank of which is adapted to be inserted and clinched in the fabric, so that its head will bear against the folded edge of the belt, as shown in Fig. 9, and constitute a wearing or protecting plate, d.

Figs. 10,11, and 12 show a U-shaped plate, of metal, having clinching-prongs on the diverging ends of its jaws or side pieces. Said plates are placed on the edges of the belt, and then prongs are inserted and clinched therein, as shown in Fig. 12.

Other equally obvious modifications may be adopted without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In Figs. 3 and 5 I have shown the folds or plies of the belt united by rivets like those above described, said rivets, which are let tered r to distinguish them from the edge-protecting rivets, being inserted in longitudinal rows in the belt after it is folded. As many of said rows maybe employed as is desirable. I prefer to place two rows as close as possible to the edges of the belt, and alternate the rivets composing them with the edge guarding or protecting rivets, thus confining the folds or plies of the belt closely together at these points.

It will be seen that the rivets used to connect the plies of the belt are much stronger, more durable, and more easily applied than the stitches heretofore used for the same purpose.

Neitherof the abovedesc'ribed features of my inventionviz., the edge-protecting plates or the fold-uniting rivetsis limited to belts of the belt and protecting the outer surfaces of the belt at its edges against wear or abrasion, as set forth.

2. A machinebelt having two parallel rows of rivets, presenting a row for each edge, the prongs of which rivets are inserted and clinched in the material of the belt, while the heads of said rivets project-,as described, and extend across. the outer surfaces of the folded edges of the belt and protect said edges from wear, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I ha'vesigncd my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this llth day of January, 1887.

GEORGE MEACOM.

Witnesses:

O. F. BROWN, ARTHUR W. ORossLnY.

'ers, the said plates extending across the edges 

